


Buir

by DaBadWolf



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Chapter 16: The Rescue, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, my heart hurts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:48:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28164267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaBadWolf/pseuds/DaBadWolf
Summary: “Open the door,” Din commands, forcing the words past the lump forming in his throat. No one moves, so he walks over to do it himself. Fennec’s muttered, “are you crazy,” following him.Is he crazy? He must be. Why else would he willing walk to his doom like this? But it’s already over, the decision made. He knew it as soon as the kid wouldn’t look at him, too focused on the screen and the approaching Jedi. The Jedi’s appearance was proof enough of Grogu’s choice, all that’s left now is to open the door.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 159





	Buir

“Open the door,” Din commands, forcing the words past the lump forming in his throat. No one moves, so he walks over to do it himself. Fennec’s muttered, “are you crazy,” following him. 

Is he crazy? He must be. Why else would he willing walk to his doom like this? But it’s already over, the decision made. He knew it as soon as the kid wouldn’t look at him, too focused on the screen and the approaching Jedi. The Jedi’s appearance was proof enough of Grogu’s choice, all that’s left now is to open the door. 

His heart writhes inside his chest, denying that this is how it ends. All that time, looking for the kids people. He’d allowed himself to hope when they went to Tython, maybe the kid would choose him. Maybe no one would come, and they could stay together. He almost delayed going there at all, but felt honor bound to make every attempt to reunite the kid with his kind. But still... he hoped. 

Then, Gideon and his troopers had come, had taken the kid. And he got stuck. Stuck doing the next thing, and the next, and the next. Fighting to get the kid back. Any thoughts of what would happen after pushed into the background and forgotten. And now, after is here. 

Din sets Grogu on a chair. He swallows hard, pressing the button after a split seconds hesitation. Turning to face the door, he moves to stand between it and the kid, watching as it creaks half way open, smoke billowing through the gap. 

The smoke obscures the man’s cloaked form, eerily lit by his green saber. He steps through, eyes casting over the group in the bridge. Then he turns off the saber, clipping it to his belt, and flipping his hood off. 

“Are you a Jedi,” Din asks. 

It’s a stupid question, which is made all the more clear when he answers, “I am.” 

Din swallows, turns to the kid, “come, little one.” Grogu peers up at him, not moving from his place, and Din feels a small flicker of hope. “He doesn’t want to go with you,” he tells the Jedi, trying to keep his voice neutral, to not give away the emotion he struggles with. 

“He wants your permission,” the jedi counters. Din frowns, how could he possibly know that? He’s only been here a minute, who is he to know what the child wants? 

The jedi continues, voice steady, like he already knows the outcome. “He is strong with the Force. But talent without training is nothing.” He tilts his head towards them, “I will give my life to protect the child. But he will not be safe until he masters his abilities.” 

No one else says anything, leaving Din to deal with this on his own, as is his right. He almost hopes that someone would intervene, to do what he’s not sure. Din nods to the Jedi, turning to pick up the kid. His tiny body seems to weigh nothing, and yet everything. This would be easier if the kid just knew to go, then Din wouldn’t have to convince both of them, instead of only himself. 

“Go on,” he says softly, hoping that the kid isn’t picking up on his turmoil. “That’s who you belong with. He’s one of your kind.” His ribs ache, he tells himself its from the fight. “I’ll see you again. I promise.” It’s a promise he’s not certain he can keep, but he couldn’t stop himself from saying it. 

Grogu tilts his head, dark eyes looking up at him, somehow finding his own eyes even through the visor. A small, clawed hand finds its way to the cheek of his helmet. 

A small part of him still cringes away in denial at the thought of removing his helmet. But the imps already saw his face, and he had already been thinking about his adherence to the Creed before the events on Morak. Why can’t the kid see his face? They’re a clan of two after all, even if that will be over as soon as he can bring himself to say goodbye. 

He tugs the helmet off with one hand, dropping it to the floor. He half expected to feel like he did on Morak, all self-conscious embarrassment and panic. But instead, he feels calm, like this right and as it should be. 

Din hadn’t noticed before that Grogu’s skin was that particular shade of green, that his eyes aren’t just brown, but have flecks of green and gold too. The corner of his mouth quirks up slightly, unbelieving that he took this long to see the child like this. To be seen. 

Grogu touches his cheek, the touch gentle enough to barely be felt but still almost overwhelming. Closing his eyes against the sensation, he takes a shaky breath before looking at the child again. 

“Alright, pal—“ his voice sounds rough to his own ears, “— it’s time to go.” The child makes a small sound of protest. Din tries to reassure him, or maybe he’s just trying to reassure himself, “don’t be afraid.” 

Bending to place the child on the floor, he looks towards the Jedi, and the blue and white astromech rolling in beside him. A grip around his leg has him looking down at the child once more. Bright eyes look back up at him like they’re trying to say something. Din tries to smile, it probably looks more like a grimace, and nods, silently giving his consent. 

Grogu’s attention is drawn by the droid and he wobbles over to cock his head and coo at it, the droid whirring and beeping like it’s having a conversation with the kid. Finally, the jedi picks up the kid, a small smile on his features. But it fades a second later, his brow furrowing instead. 

The jedi nods, speaking softly, “the Jedi of old thought that attachments were dangerous. That they could lead to the dark side.” He looks up, hesitates, “while I think they had a point... I don’t believe that’s the case for everyone. There are many things the old order could have, and perhaps should have, done differently. If they had, the galaxy could have been much different today.” 

Din’s brow furrows, could this mean what he thinks it means? Or is the Jedi just drawing this out for no reason. He wants to snap at the man, to get to the point or just go... before he changes his mind. 

The Jedi tilts his head, soft smile reappearing, “Grogu sees you as a father, Din.” Din twitches, jaw clenching, he didn’t offer his name. “This doesn’t have to be goodbye forever.” The jedi steps forward, hand dipping into his robe to draw out a data stick, “this has the coordinates to the new Jedi temple. You could visit whenever you like... You can still be his father.” 

Din kicks himself into motion, taking the stick before the Jedi can retract the offer, blinking away persistent tears the whole time. “Vor entye,” he whispers. When the Jedi’s brow furrows in confusion, Din’s lips quirk up as he translates, “thank you. Truly.” He takes Grogu from the Jedi’s arms without residence, hugging the little one tightly, “you have no idea what this means to me.” 

The Jedi nods, “I know what it is to lose a parent.” He tilts his head, watching the two of them for a moment before he speaks up again, “it is time to go though.” 

Din sighs, looking down at the small body in his arms. He hesitates, theres something he should have said a long time ago. Something he thought about saying the very first time he took the kid back from the imps. He talked himself out of it then, and every time since, telling himself it would hurt too much to take that step, just to give the kid up. With a shuddering breath, he tips their foreheads together and he whispers, “ni kyr’tayl gai sa’ad, Grogu.” 

Grogu reaches up with both hands, gently gripping his cheeks and pressing closer together with a coo. Din smiles, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Ret’urcye mhi, ad’ika,” he reluctantly hands the child back to the Jedi, and takes a step back. 

The Jedi smiles at Grogu once more, half turning to go before looking back at Din. “May the Force be with you.” 

Din doesn’t reply, (what would he say to a Jedi platitude anyway?) only offering a nod in response. His gaze follows the pair, and the droid, down the hall and into the elevator at the end. 

It’s not until the door slides closed that he realizes he is still barefaced, his heart jumping in reflexive panic. Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath before he turns. The others avoid his eyes, their gaze averted to the walls and floor. Din can’t help the small smile of gratitude that takes over his features. It doesn’t matter now that they can see his face. 

He still has to think about this new change, now that there’s time to, but he’s ready for a new path. Being Mando’ade is more than hiding your face (as much as the exposure still makes his skin crawl), it’s loyalty. To a people, a cause... a family. For his family, his aliit, he’d do anything. And he does have a family again. It may not be what the galaxy sees as one... but it’s his. And it’s good. 

Din’s eyes drift towards the window, watching as the x-wing flys past then jumps to hyperspace. Picking up his helmet, he holds it in his hands, looking at his reflection in the visor. He’s not the same person he was, and that’s a good thing.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fanfic. I just couldn’t resist writing this, my heart hurt at the end of the episode and I needed MOORREEE. Honestly the aftermath of the heartbreak is my favorite part.


End file.
